Yarn control for knitting machines



June 22 1926.

W. P. DRUMEELL- YN CONTOL FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24. 1924 sheets- Sheet 1' June 22,1926. n 1,589,794

' W. P. DRUMHELLR YARN CONTROL FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w y @x u l l@ w C3 w Q n ktm ,v 0 5i fo i 0 0 w i M xg lI) u) 5 il Q A my Patented June 22, 1926i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM IP. BRUNI-TELLER, OF SPRINGFIELD, FIASSACI-IUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLIAM CARTER- COMPANY, OF NEEDI-IAM HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- .'PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

YARN CONTROL FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed January 24, 1924. Serial No. 688,210.

This invention aims to provide improved means for effecting a positive, controlled feed of the yarn or yarns to the needles oi knitting machines, or to the needles and the instrumentalities immediately cooperating therewith. ln the accon'ipanying drawings illustrating certain embodiments oi my invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation o'i a circular knitting machine of the dial' type having one form of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken approximately centrally through the upper part oi Fig. l and showing two pairs of feed rolls, but showing a modified form ot a portion ot the driving mechanism for the sets olf. teed rolls;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in end elevation of a pair of feed rolls and associated parts;

Fig. l is a partial vertical section taken .approximately centrally through the upper part o'f Fig. 1 and illustrating` driving mechanism for the individual sets oi' feed rolls as employed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view partially in front elevation and partially in vertical section showing another embodiment ot driving meclianisni in accordance with my invention, the portion of the machine shown corresponding` to that at the lower left portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. (i is a vertical section of a inodiiied iorm of feed rolls embodying my invention.

My invention is applicable to any desired type ot knitting machine as, 'for example, either straight or rotary, and with the latter type it may be employed either with a rotal'ed needle cylinder or a rotated cam cylin der. While herein I have chosen to represent the invention as applied to a circular type of knitting machine having a rotated needle cylinder and a flat dia-l, it should be understood that my invention is not limited to the disclosed or any other speciiic type oit machine, although peculiarly cooperating with the circular type having a plurality of yarn feeds.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1, the bed plate of the machine is indicated at l as supported upon suitable uprights 2 eX- tending from a base The cam cylinder is indicated as a whole at 4 and the dial plate at 5. Projecting upwardly from the latter is a stationary central support 6 extending through a cross head 7 supported upon suitable stands 8, 9 from the bed plate. Up standing `from the bed plate 1 is a bracket 10, seen at the right in Fig. 1, having an inwardly extending upper portion l1 provided at its end with a collar 12 in which is received and secured a cential stationary upright 13, the lower portion of which is broken away in Fig. 1, but which may be adapted to support suitable stop mechanism not necessary here to illustrate.

y Said central upright 13 carries near its upper 'end a disklike member 22 from which radiate supports for the yarn packages. Said supports are here showiinas reds 28 extending outwardly and downwardly, but may be of any suitable form, having provisions at their outer ends for supporting the yarn packages 24 equalling in number the yarns or threads to be supplied to the knitting mechanism.

At the upper end of said central upright 13 is secured a head or box-like frame 25, seen 'in vertical section in Fig. 2, and shown as generally conical in form and having a lateral opening 26 providing a bearing for a horizontal shaft 27. Said shaft 27 is supported at its outer end in a bearing 28, see Fig. 1, formed in a bracket 29 itseltl fast at the upper end of a vertical rod or upright 30 cariied at its lower end upon a bracket 31 secured to the framing of the machine.

Said horizontal shaft 27 has fast upon its inn-er end a bevel pinion 39 which in the `torni ot' my invention shown in Fig. 2 meshes with an annular series of teeth 40 provided upon the upper tace or' a plate gear 41 of which the hub 42 is rotatably supported upon a hub-like portionll ot the 'corresponding bracket 49.

`formed in said flange 48. n n

5G inclusive are the saine both in the form base plate or memberl 44 of said head 25. Said plateV gear carries at its outer edge and herein upon its lower face a circumferential series of gear teeth 45 drivingly meshing with a plurality of bevel pinions 46 correspoiuling in number to the number of yarns or threads to' be fed to the machine or,

=in other Words, one for eachV yarn or thread package 24.

Said bevel pinions 4G are supported in a circular series Within the headQ, each such pinion being` fast upon the inner end of one of a like number of short horizonal shafts 47 having bearings in the upright flange 48 of said base plate 44. AEach of said short `shafts 47 extends outwardly through brackets 49, one of which is provided for each shaft1 and which brackets Yare themselves supported` by stationary. studs or rods 50. The outer end of each such rod is secured as by a. set screw 5l in a boss fori'ned on the Said rodsOy ex'- tend in substantial parallelism with t-heir respective shafts 47 and at their inner ends arevsecured kas by set screws 58 in openings Said par-ts 47 to shown in Figs. l and 4 and that shown in Fig. 2. except that 1n the first case the shafts 47 extend rfurther inward and yhave a u'ith by means ofthe corresponding` bracket `49. In the present Vform of my invention `said feed rolls are each cylindrical in form, and each of uniform diameter throughout its length, the rolls of each set being positioned With their kraxes parallel. The 'meeting, feeding' surfaces of said rolls are` provided with(longitudinally extending flutes or teeth kbetween and ink contact with whichy the yarn or thread passes andfwhich coopcrate. to feed 'the same in a positive manner and at a rate dependent upon the rate of feeding` movement, that is,;herein, the `speed n of rotation of the rolls.

Such flutes or teeth upon the cylindrical rolls provide a surface which is notreadily Worn and accordingly is superior to a leather or other coated surface; in addition, the longitudinal flutes or teeth effectively engage the yarn, the rolls beinglrelatively adjustahle in parallelism, asabove indicated, so that thellutes or teeth may interinesh to a greateii or less extent or merely meet, the positive engagement of the yarn by the rolls being Vthereby assured. '.lhe terins flutes or L"teethl as used throughout this specification are employed in the broad sense of corrugations; ribsy or other like formations ex tending .lengthwise of the rolls. By the provision of such flutes l lind that an accurate, positive and measured feed of the yarn or thread is best obtained, but my invention is not -liinit xd to such formation of the feed rolls; in seine instances a substantially smoother merely roughened surface may be employed for the cylindrical rolls.

Desirably the rolls of each set or pair are transversely adjustable relatively to each other, butinaintaining their axes parallel, to. regulate the depth of mesh of the flutes or teeth of the rolls, as ma f be desirable, for example, to provide for properly positively feedingr yarns or threads of different thickness. iiccordingly, as seen in Fig. l and upon a larger scale in Fig. 2 the ofcl herein each roll (il is rotatably.mounted on a stud G2 carried by and projecting outivardly from a plate (i3 adjustably seated in an elongated recess formed in the outer face of the respective bracket 49. Said plate may be adjusted vertically in said recess and relatively to itsbracket 49, means such as the bolt 64 passing through a slot G5 in the lower portion of said bracket being provided to secure said plate in the desired position of adjustment. l

@ne at least of each pair of the rolls is positively driven, the rolls G0 herein. for the purpose being fast upon the respective shafts 47T, while as herein shown both rolls are positively rotated, and desirably by means other than the flutes or teeth upon the feed rolls proper. Jiccordingly there is .fixed upon the inner end of each upper roll.

(30 a pinion G5 meshing with a similar pinion (itl secured to the other roll 6l. of each pair. Y,

lf desired, and as shown in Fig. l, I provide a fixed thread lguide for introducing the yarn or thread between the rolls such, for example, as the arms 67 extending from the head` Q5, said arms corresponding to the iuunber'of pairs of rolls and terminating "in an eye 68 constituting a knot catcherrbut pei-ini ting the ready ypassage of the threat or yarn with 'suflicientfreedom and lateral motion to take care of the ballooning there` Y of. Said eye or opening G8 is desirably ei;-

aetlyv in line with the vertical axis of the rcorresponding yarn package 24.`

Above the eye in said arm G7, if the lalier'be enngloyed," and preferably directly in line .'iith the vertical axis of the correspond` ing` yarn package 24 is the eye 69 of a fixed yarn guide 70 supported by the bracket All). Said eye (i9 is close to the bight or meshing ttl e roll of each pair is adiust-able;

lil)

line of the feeding surfaces of rolls 60, 61 so that' the yarn or thread 71 from the package 24 passes through said eye 69 at a point preferably in line with the vertical axis of said yarn package 24. The said yarn or thread 71 passes between the contacting feeding surfaces of the pairs of rolls 60, 61 and at the opposite side of said rolls passes through a second fixed yarn guide 72 (see Fig. ifi) corresponding in all respects to the yarn guide previously mentioned.

In the operation of the machine the yarn or kthread 71 is positively drawn from each yarn package 24 by the rotation of the feed rolls 60, 61 pertaining thereto. It has been found in practice that the dist-ance between the upper end of the yarn package and the fixed yarn guide 70 (or the eye in the arm 67 ifI employed) should desirably come within certain limits, the best results being 0btained with said distance not greater than twelve inches nor less than six inches. With a less distance the yarn in ballooning` off its package will strike the top of the latter and ultimately break from this cause. With a distance greater than approximately twelve inches a compound ballooning effect results which in itself hinders proper feeding of the yarn. After being fed between the feed rolls the yarn passes through the fixed yarn guide 72 closely adjacent thereto and then through a. suitable guide, not shown, preferably directly above its set of'fee'd rolls and thence downward through the cooperating part of the stop motion, if employed, and through the proper yarn guide 73 on the dial `plate 5, to the knitting needles of the machine.

rlhe horizontal shaft 27, at the upper left of Figs. l, 2 and 4 and previously described,

Vhas fixed upon it a bevel pinion 74 meshing with and driven by a similar pinion 75 fast upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 76 supported at its upper end by a suitable bearing in the bracket 29, and at its lower end in a s'ep bearing 77 formed in the bed plate l. Said vertical shaft 76 is herein driven from the main drive shaft of the machine indicated at 78, the latter having at its outer end fasi` and loose pulleys 79, 8O and at its inner end 'a bevel gear 81 by means of which the needle cylinder is rotated. i

4In accordance with my invention means is provided for incrementally varying the rate of feeding movement of the feed rolls 60, 61, and herein progressively orby extremely fine gradations and in such manner as to provide any desired rate of yarn feed between maximum and minimum limits. As herein shown the vertical shaft 76 from which the feed rolls are operated `maybe driven at readily variable speeds, for which purposethere is secured upon and driven bv said main shaft 7 8 in a position adjacent r he vertical shaft 76 a friction drive disk 82 the driving face of which cooperates with a roller 83 keyed to but slidable longitudinally of the vertical shaft as by means of the key 84 on said shaft and cooperating transverse groove in the roller. By adjusting the position of said roller 83 with relation to and radially of the disk 82 lthe speed imparted to the shaft 76 and thence to the sets of feed rolls may be controlled.

The roller 83 is readily adjustable, and herein manually, to provide the desired speed of the feeding movement of the feed rolls. For this purpose I have shown a screw 85 rotatably supported at its lower end in a boss 86 formed in the bed plate 1 and at its upper end in an arm 87 projecting laterally from the fixed upright 30.v Carried by said screw is a correspondingly threaded traveler block 88 having a laterally projectying yoke portion 89 engaging at opposite faces of the roller 83. Turning movement imparted to said screw 85 as by means of the hand wheel 90 will cause the traveler block to traverse upon the screw in Ione direction or the other according to the. direction of turning of thescrew, and thereby to move the roller along the vertical shaft 76 and toward or away from the center of the friction disk 82.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 all the sets of cylindrical, tinted feed rolls are driven at the same speed and the rate of feeding movement of the entire series of feed rolls may be -varied simultaneously through the adjustment of the roller 83 relatively to the disk 82, Fig. 1, said elements constituting a master control for the rate of feed of all the rolls. If desired, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, I may also provide, either in addition to or alternatively to said master control, means whereby the speeds of rotation of the respective sets of feed rolls may be individually adjusted and the rate of feeding movement thereof varied each independently of the others to accommodate each set of rolls to the requirements for the feed of its particular yarn.

Referring to Fig. 4, I have for this purpose provided speed varying mechanism for each set of feed rolls. The plate gear 41', Fig. 4 is provided upon its lower face with a friction drive surface 91 with which cooperates a series of rollers 92, one for each set of feed rolls. Each roller-92 is keyed upon the corresponding shaft 47 so as to rotate therewith but is slidable along said shaft, the latter being inwardly extended iny Figs. 1 and 4 and having at its inner end a bearing in the hub portion 43 of the base plate of the head 25.

For shifting the rollers 92 to vary their position radially of the drive surface 91 I have shown a traveler block 93 traversible along a screw 94 rotatably supported at its opposite ends respectiif'ely in the upright wheel 98 and associated parts are provided for each set of feedwheels or rolls, butfor the sake of clcarness rone only of said groups of parts is shown in Fig. 1. K

In certain instances where very line gradations in the adjustment ofthe rate of feed of the yarn are not required or where a progressive and non-step vadjustment between upper and lower limits,:ati`ording any speed between suchlimits, is not desired, I may employ a modified form of speed changing mechanism such as shown for example in Fig. 5. In said ligurethere is secured to the main drive shaft 7Sof the 1imitting machine a ring gear 101 which meshes with a bevel pinion-102 looselyy mounted upon the upright support 30. lreferably integrally formed with said bevel pinion is a' set' of speed changing gears of diiierent diameters, such as the gears 103, 104, 105 of decreasing diameter' in the order named. Said gears and bevel pinion 102 are secured to or integral. with a sleeve .100 .loosely mounted upon said upright 30. Adapated to cooperate with said gears 103, 104, 105 respectively is a second set of gears 107,108, 109'of in-` creasing diameters in the order mentioned. Said second setof gears is secured to or Lformed integral with a sleeve 110 which is keyed upon the vertical shaft 76 but slidable relatively thereto to permit the gears 107, 108', 109 to be shifted longitndinallyof the shaft. Y f f In the position indicated in Fig; 5 the gears 103 and 107 are in meslu'and the shaft 76, and consequently the feed rolls,v will be driven at high speed. If the sleeve 110 be Vshifted upwardly until the gears 104`and 108 are brought into mesh the shaft 7 6 anda@- cordingly'the feed rolls will be drivenat an intermediate speed. Further movement of said sleeve 110 in the same direction will bring the large gear 109 of the shiftable set into mesh withv the-small gear 105 to provide a low speed drivefor the 'sets of feed rolls. For readily shifting said slidable set of gears I have` shownacollar 111 loosely seated in an annular groove formed upon the sleeve 110, said collar being provided with lateral trunnions 112 upon which is pivoted the forked inner extremity of a shiftlever 113, the latter pivotally supported at 114 as by an arm 115 carried by said upright support 30. The shiftable set of gears is preferably releas'ably'held in each of its operating positions as by means of the spring-pressed detent 116.` and cooperating recesses 117 in the shaft 76, said recesses being properly spaced to receive saidy detent in the positions in which the respective pairs of gears Vare in mesh. Y f

.f By means of the gea-.r shift mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 the rate of feeding movement of the sets of feed rolls may be varied, the number of variations and the degree of the speed change therebetween being dependent upon the number and ratio of the gears employed.k lVhile I have herein illustrated gear shift mechanism providing three speed ratios obviously agreater or less number may bev employed. The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4`is preferred, however, since by means thereof any desired rate offeeding movement of the rolls may be obtained bctween n'iaximum and minimum limits. In connection with a gear shift mechanism such as illustrated in Fig. 5 I may also employ speed varying means, such as shown in Fig.

4, for sejmratelyand independently adjusting the rate of .feed of the various sets of rolls. l,

In Fig. 6 Iliavev shown'a somewhat modified form of feedroll embodying my invention, and have there representcdeach set as composed of-three rolls so arranged that the yarn or thread fed thereby cannot slip but is fed with essentially absolute accuracy. In said Fig-..6 parts which are the same as in Figs. 1 to 4 bear the same reference numerals. As there shown the center roll 60 ofi the set is fastupon the-shaft 47, and the lower roll 61-is rotatable upon the stud 62 secured to the adjustable plate 63, as in the instance previously described. Above the rollr 60, as here shown, 4is a third roll 118 rotatable upon 'a stud 119 secured to a plate 120 similar in construction to the plate 63 for the rolls 61 as described with reference to Figs-1 to 2, but oppositely positioned and adjustable in the bracket 49. The central `roll is thus positively driven by the shaft 47, and as shown the upper and lower rolls have secured thereto pinions 118', 61', respectively/in intermeshing relation with a pinion 60 on the central roll whereby said Vupper and lower rolls are likewise positively rotated. Vhat has previously been said lwith respect to `'the form and construction ofthe pairsfof feed rolls applies equally with respect to the triple set of feed rolls shown in Fig. 6.A The yarn coming from a package 2.4 passes, asin Figs. 1 to 4, through xed yarn guides 70, 72. at opposite sides of and close to the meeting line of the rolls 60, 61 and thence back between the rolls 60 and 118, fixed yarn guides .similar to the guides 70. 72 being provided in close proximity to and at opposite sides of said rolls to guide the yarn passing between them.

My invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments thereof herein shown and described.

Claims:

l. Means for variably, positively controlling the yarn feed for knitting machines, comprising in combination, a plurality of sets of feed rolls, one set for each yarn to be supplied, mechanism for simultaneously rotating` at least one roll of each set, means for varying the rotary speed imparted to said rolls by said mechanism thereby to control simultaneously the rate of feed of all the yarns, and means for independently controlling the rate of feeding movement of the individual sets of rolls.

2. Means for variably, positively controlling the yarn feed for knitting machines, comprising in combination, a pluality of sets of feed rolls, one set for each yarn to be supplied, mechanism for simultaneously rotating at least one roll of each set, mea-ns for varying the rotary speed imparted to said rolls by said mechanism thereby to control simultaneously the rate of feed of all the yarns, and means for separately controlling the rate of feed of the individual. yarns.

3. Means for v-ariably, positively controlling the yarns fed at a plurality of points in the same knitting machine, comprising in combination, a plurality of sets of feed rolls, one for each yarn, the rolls of each set having` substantially contacting` feeding sur-- faces of a formation positively to engage and feed a yarn between them and to prevent slipping of the same, means for imparting` feeding` movement to all said sets of rollssimultaneously, and variable speed mechanism for readily controlling said rate of 'feeding movement either simultaneously or independently for each set of rolls.

41. Means for variably, positively controlling the yarns fed at a plurality of points in the same knitting machine, comprising in combination, a plurality of sets of feed rolls, one for each yarn, the rolls of each set having substantially contacting` feeding surfaces of a formation positively to engage and feed a yarn between them and to prevent slipping' of the same, a shaft for each set of rolls for positively rotating at least one roll of its set, a driving disk operated from a rotating part of the knitting machine, and a shiftable roller on each shaft cooperating with said disk whereby the rate of feeding` movement of said sets of rolls may be independently varied.

Means for variably, positively controllingthe yarns fed at a plurality of points in the same knitting machine, comprising in combination.' a plurality of sets of feed rolls, one for each yarn, the rolls of each set having substantially contacting feeding surfaces of a formation positively to engage and feed a yarn between them and to prevent slipping of the same, a shaft for each set of rolls for positively rotating at least one roll of its set, a driving disk operated from a rotating part of the knitting machine, a shiftable roller on each shaft cooperating with said disk whereby the rate of 'feeding movement of said sets of rolls may be independently varied and other means for varying the rate of feeding movement of all sets of rolls simultaneously.

6. Means for variably positively controlling the yarn feed to knitting machines, comprising in combination a pair of lengthwise fluted feed rolls between and in contact with which the yarn is thereby fed, means for positively driving at least one of said rolls, a yarn guide in sufficient proximity to the meeting line of said rolls to direct the yarn thereto on .its way to t-he knitting needles of the machine, means for incrementally varying the rate of feeding movement of said rolls, and manual means enabling the operator to cont-rol said feed varying means at will and during operation of the machine, thereby to effect at any time a variation of the extent desired.

Means for variably, positively controlling the yarn feed for knitting machines. comprising in combination, a set of feed rolls, yarnA guiding means to deliver the yarn between said' rolls to be positively fed thereby, mechanism to rotate said rolls, and means readily manually to vary, While the machine is in operation, at any desired time and to any desired extent the rotary'speed imparted to said rolls by said mechanism thereby to control the rate of yarn feed.

8. lVleans for variably, positively controlling the yarn feed for knittingmachines. con'iprising'in combination, a plurality of sets of feed rolls, one set for each yarn to be supplied, mechanism for simultaneously7 rotating at least one roll of each set and means for controlling the rate of feeding` movement of the individual sets of rolls during operation of the machine, each set independent-ly of the remaining set or sets.

9. Means for variably, positively controlling the yarn feed for knitting machines. comprising in combination. a plurality of sets of feedv rolls, one set for each yarn to be supplied, mechanism for simultaneously rotating at least one roll of each set, and means for separately, manually controlling the rate of feed of the individual yarns while the knitting machine is in operation.

10. Means for variably, positively controlling the yarn feed for knittingmachines, comprising` in combination, a set of feed rolls, having substantially contacting feeding surfaces of a formation positively to engage and feed the yarn passing between them and to prevent slipping of the same` operating means for imparting feeding movement to said rolls, and speed varying mechanism intermediate said yoperming.; means and Aa rotating paint of the knitting machine, said mechanism .including in drivingdisk, weoopeiating Toller shifta'hle radially thereof, yand manual .means controllable nftwi'll by Ihe operator yand during operation ofthe; machine for-shifting said roller to Aefect `the desiired change inrete of feeding movement orf said rolls Wihout stopping` the machine.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name fto this specification.

VILLIAM' l?. DRUMHEIJLJER. 

